Skin Deep
by Lyonene
Summary: Karma & the rest of the band are back & discovering that balancing both rockstar status with their personal lives isn't an easy thing to do & sometimes no matter how hard they try, things end up going sour. Sequel to Disenchanted. ON HOLD.
1. Together Again

**A/N & Disclaimer: Originally I had this posted directly with Disenchanted but... That was just too messy, so now the sequel gets its own post :) I own nothing but Karma and sort of own Jonatha. I also own Maggie and Mattie!**

**Disenchanted (original) Cast:** Jacob Black (stole him from the Twilight fandom but this is NOT a Twilight story), Karma Mallory, Jonatha Black, Chris Irvine (Jericho), Phil Brooks (Punk), Dave Bautista, Shane McMahon, two gay hair dressers and whoever was in Disenchanted.

**Summary:** Karma Mallory and the rest of the band are back and discovering that balancing both status as internationally known rockstars with their personal lives isn't an easy thing to do; and sometimes no matter how hard they try, things end up going sour.

* * *

><p><strong>One: Together Again<strong>

"Chris, you need to slow down, I can't understand a word you're saying." Karma Mallory growled into the phone, wondering just what the hell had him so worked up. If she hadn't known for a fact that he was clean, she probably would have assumed he was all coked out or something; that was how fast he was talking.

Taking a deep breath, Chris began all over again, a hint of irritation in his tone. "Shane has us booked for the music awards."

"Oh, well, that's not surprising." She said slowly, knowing their manager –Shane McMahon- had been tossing around the idea of them making their return at the yearly award ceremony, this time not playing as the house band. "I thought it wasn't settled though?"

"It is now. There's only a few months left until the show, you know as well as I do they have to book the talent in advance."

"True. What else?"

"Huh?"

Karma's eyes narrowed slightly, wishing he was there so she could slap him silly. "I know you're blonde, but you don't have to play stupid."

"Low blow on the hair, bitch."

"Bite me."

"I gave up drugs."

"Oh, ha ha, you are just SOOOO funny. Now really, stop jerking my chain and just tell me what the hell else is going on. I know you didn't call to tell me about something I already knew was likely to happen."

"Uh, well… this wouldn't be our return. Shane was thinking maybe we could do a U.S. tour, a short one of course, just hit the major cities."

"That would work out great," She said sarcastically, shaking her head when Dave walked into the room, carrying their one year old son –Jareth- on his hip. "Especially since we haven't seen a recording studio in almost two years."

"Chris?" Dave mouthed, shaking his own head when she nodded. It sometimes seemed like her best friend and ex-lover was constantly calling for one reason or another.

"We could get in the studio this week, push the album out next week and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down Chris, that is completely unrealistic and we both know it! It'd take a month to get things ready for a tour."

"So? We take the month, hit the studio, send out singles and then hit the major cities before the ceremony."

"You've already talked to Phil, Jonatha and Jacob about this, haven't you?" She demanded suspiciously.

"Um, maybe."

"You pricks already signed, didn't you?"

"Possibly."

Sighing, she hit the bed with the phone for a few moments before replacing it to her ear. "Fine, I'm in."

Dave waited until she was off the phone before asking: "You're going back on the road, aren't you?"

She nodded.

So much for a peaceful vacation.

* * *

><p>If she was honest, Karma had missed this. She had taken a year off to be with her son and fiancée and it had been great, very relaxing and constructive to her seemingly depleted musical stores. Now she felt energized and ready to hit the circuit again, it seemed she wasn't the only one who felt that way either.<p>

Everyone had met at Chris' house in L.A., the same place she and Chris had lived together in during their disastrous and brief tenure as a couple. Chris had had all the guest rooms set up for them, which was more than necessary as technically, the group only needed four bedrooms. Jake and Jonny shared, Phil was by himself and Karma, Jareth and Dave only needed two.

Nobody ever denied that Chris was excessive.

Once everyone was settled in, the band mates convened in the den; scattered about lazily across the furniture as they gossiped and caught up. Once they had gone on their little extended vacation, they had all separated ways. Phil had gone to his hometown of Chicago, Chris had remained in L.A. whereas Jonatha and Jacob had taken off to visit his folks back in Washington and then hers. Karma and her own family had relocated back to New York.

Phil was looking a bit shaggier than usual, his facial hair all over the place. His mustache and wild beard combo had Jacob humming the banjo music from Deliverance, much to Jonatha's annoyance.

Jake was still impossibly ripped, and seemed to be in fairly good health, he still had all his limbs which was a good sign as everyone knew Jonatha was a bit of a hellcat. Jonatha looked happy, a sparkle in her sapphire blue eyes that told her friends her first year of marriage had definitely gone over quite well.

Chris was still Chris. Tanned, blond and muscular too. Karma could all too easily remember a time when his hair had been lank and greasy, his clothes had hung off his unusually thin frame… she had to shake the memories away, refusing to dwell on them.

She had allowed her hair to return to its natural brown and silver colors and spent the entire year in tank tops and blue jeans –after her post-pregnancy sweatpants and Dave's shirts attire while she was working off the extra baggage she had picked up while pregnant.

She surveyed her friends, all back in their 'natural' states and knew the band's stylists, Maggie and Mattie, were going to have dual heart attacks.

"Has anyone been writing?" She asked, leaning back against the couch with an acoustic guitar across her lap, picking at the strings idly.

"Isn't that your job?" Jonatha shot back with a smirk.

"Not really, usually it's you and Chris."

"Don't believe her, she's been writing." Chris shook his head, sticking his tongue out at Karma when she flipped him off. "The question is, what has she been writing and is it any good?"

"Fuck you."

* * *

><p>"The hair has to go."<p>

Karma was not surprised by the less than stellar greeting from her very own personal stylist, Mattie. Mattie was as gay as the day was long, molding into one of the many gay stereotypes and absolutely loved it. She hugged him regardless of the implied insult on her natural hair. "I missed you too."

"I did miss you, until I just seen what you've brought me to work with." Mattie sighed. He had originally started out as her and Chris' hair stylist but that had quickly deteriorated along with Karma and Chris' relationship; soon only working specifically on Karma. Maggie had been a part of their little group but once Chris had gotten his ass back on the right track, she had become stylist for the entire band.

Mattie hadn't. Karma likened him to a dog; he was loyal to one master. But he was HER dog. She had told him this analogy once and he had agreed, declaring he was definitely a bitch.

"Just what is wrong with her hair?" Dave demanded, following behind with Jareth in his arms. His brown eyes widened when Maggie lunged forward to snatch the baby from him, reluctantly passing his son along. "Don't touch his hair!" He growled.

"A little Mohawk would be so adorable!" Maggie cooed teasingly, ruffling Jareth's light brown, wavy hair with delight. "Wouldn't it sweetie?"

Jareth simply babbled right back at her.

"No Mohawks for my son, not until he's at least two." Karma laughed, already being guided towards the bathroom by an impatient Mattie, who was muttering things like 'stripes' and 'perfectly fugly' under his breath. "Can I at least have a moment to settle in?"

"No, no, no. Shane has an appointment set up for the band."

"So? Braid my hair or something, you don't have to-"

"White, we're bleaching it pure white." His eyes were taking on a fanatical gleam she recognized all too well. "It'll only take a few hours, the appointment isn't for another four…."

Karma realized there had been another reason for her extended vacation besides her son.

* * *

><p>"Wow, being with Dave has aged the shit out of you." Jonatha Black said when she was permitted to enter the entirely too large bathroom Mattie had holed Karma up in. She smirked when she got flipped the bird, knowing damn well Karma would have pointed out that they had seen each other only days before if she wasn't afraid of sucking in any of the chemicals that currently surrounded her. "White does look pretty good on you. It's not old person white, it's…"<p>

"X-Men white, the animated series, not the movies." Mattie shivered dramatically. "They actually had some grey in poor Halle's hair, can you believe that?"

Karma and Jonatha exchanged amused looks.

"Maggie, get in here!" Mattie yelled, fixing Jonatha with a piercing look. "I'm thinking we're going to do something Joan Jett-ish with your hair. Maybe some colored tips."

"Fuck me running."

* * *

><p>Phil was the last to reach the hotel suite, still looking as wild and hairy as he had the last time his band mates had seen him. "I'm here; the party can officially get started!" He laughed, setting his bag down where everyone else had dropped theirs.<p>

Chris was on his cell phone over by a window, but he managed to pull away from it long enough to say: "You are so going next."

Confused, Phil shot Dave and Jake a questioning look.

"You're getting a make-over." Jake explained with obvious relish.

Phil paled underneath his Wildman beard, completely oblivious to the fact that Chris had started humming the Deliverance banjo tune again.

* * *

><p>"Oh my god…" Karma whispered when she was finally allowed to see her now bleached, styled, and dried hair. Mattie had layered it and then fluffed it just a little, but it was the stark white that made her blink. "Holy shit…"<p>

I'm a genius, I know." Mattie grinned at her in the mirror, bending down long enough to grab a hat box from beneath the counter, and then set it on the counter, popping it open. "Here." He pulled out a plain black cowboy hat from the box and settled it on her head. "Slash has his hat, you have yours."

"I am nowhere near Slash's league."

"But you definitely have him beat when it comes to sex appeal. Now let's go show Dave."


	2. Simply Beautiful

**Two: Simply Beautiful**

By the time Mattie and Maggie were satisfied with their three 'no fashion sense projects', the band was running a bit late. Chris and Jake required absolutely no attention as they were both 'simply beautiful', to quote Mattie, who had given a very lusty sigh as he eyeballed each man.

Shane was so used to the group that he wasn't bothered in the least by their lateness. He was sitting at the head of a table in one of the hotel's conference rooms, looking impeccable as always in one of his custom suits. He had considered retiring during the past year but found that wasn't really to his taste. He enjoyed the money and he found that he got very bored easily. At least with his band he was never bored. On the verge of a stroke sometimes, but never bored.

He smiled as they filed in, Chris in the lead as usual while Jacob and Jonatha strolled in arm in arm. He wasn't surprised to find Phil walking in with a frown on his freshly shaven face –Shane understood that Phil had had to be forced down for that shave. He did however, arch an eyebrow when Karma strolled in with Dave tailing behind her, their son Jareth with the nanny Dave had employed to travel with them.

"Band meeting, Dave, sorry." He said firmly, wondering if the ex-bodyguard was serious. When Dave shot him a look, Shane rolled his eyes. Apparently, Dave had forgotten some critical bodyguard rules. "You are no longer on staff as a personal bodyguard. We can discuss other employment opportunities later but right now, you'll have to excuse yourself." He said firmly, but with an apologetic look towards Karma.

Somehow, Karma wasn't surprised and nodded at the look Shane gave her, tilting her head back to look up at her fiancée.

Dave simply nodded, turned curtly and walked right back out.

Everyone let out the breaths they hadn't they'd been holding in before settling themselves down around the table.

Shane waited until the executives from the record company had joined them before getting down to business. By the time everything had been discussed, amended, and then signed; Disenchanted had been signed to an upcoming world tour, several high profile gigs, and were now officially in talks with other media outlets.

* * *

><p>"Leave it to Shane to schedule us to arrive at the wrong time." Chris laughed as he walked Karma back to the hotel room she would be sharing with Dave and Jareth after the very long but productive meeting. Jacob, Phil, and Jonny having left already as they weren't 'required', which was actually a good thing since what Shane had wanted to say was pretty boring.<p>

And it was also personal, involving a lecture regarding Chris and Karma staying on the straight and narrow paths they were both on and to NOT slip back into being a coked out, prima donna or a flight risk.

"It wasn't the wrong time, it was early." Karma corrected, ignoring his eye roll. "He wanted us there early so we'd all be present when the studio executives arrived. He's getting smarter."

"Or more devious."

"We could probably blame that on Jonny."

"Probably." They had reached her room and Chris halted, staring at the door. "Dave is going to be pretty pissed off." He said matter-of-factly.

"Probably." She echoed his earlier word, rubbing her arms nervously. David wasn't a violent man, not unless he was working and someone got in his way, but his temper wasn't something she ever wanted to see aimed her way. Ever. She had seen him explode once, that was quite enough.

Shane had explained his reasoning for dismissing Dave and Karma had to admit, it made sense. Of course, she didn't see the need for a bodyguard anymore and had point blank told Shane so. He had agreed and now it was back to regular security staff for the entire band.

Which had made her very happy as she hadn't liked feeling like the odd one out. Like she was more special or something then her friends, cause she wasn't.

The way Shane had explained it, Dave would be a liability when it came to protecting her because they were intimate, as intimate as two people could get, as if their son wasn't proof enough of that. He said he knew for a fact that Dave was no longer up for the job simply because Dave hadn't recognized this fact.

Oh yeah, Dave was going to be pissed.

"Hey," Chris snapped her out of her thoughts, gently taking her hands in his, and squeezed reassuringly. "he's going to be cool about this, you'll see."

* * *

><p>"We got you two special outfits." Matthew said when Chris and Karma finally into the suite. He was laying out two garment bags on the massive, king sized bed while Maggie was trying to talk a disgruntled David into letting her give Jareth a Mohawk. "Leather, sheer, and sexy."<p>

David glanced at Karma, seeing the apprehensive look on her face when she met his gaze, offering a smile to let her know he wasn't angry. Which he wasn't. He was just… he didn't know. He had absolutely no idea what he was going to do with himself now. He hadn't been thinking earlier and when Shane had informed him he wasn't Karma's bodyguard, he had been royally pissed at first. But… now that he had had plenty of time to cool down –not to mention being distracted by Mattie and Maggie, the idiots- he knew Shane had been right.

Jonatha, Phil, and Jacob were sitting around a coffee table; all three smirking at Chris and Karma.

"So… how'd it go?" Jonny asked sweetly.

"Shane wants us to talk you into wearing a pink sissy dress and lacy panties for a photo shoot." Chris said dead pan, ducking when a drink coaster came flying towards his head.

"None of that around my son." Karma ordered, attempting to take Jareth from Maggie, who was having none of it. "Give him to me!"

"You, miss thang, have to get around for the show tonight." Maggie said sweetly, dancing out of reach with the baby. "Doesn't she, Jare?" She cooed, smiling when he laughed at her. "Mommy has to go work tonight, she has to makes us all lots and lots of money."

"Woohoo, fu-freaking right!" Chris laughed, grinning when Karma merely rolled her eyes at him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Us on stage again, what could be better?"

"I have a million and one answers to that." Karma shot back, eyeballing the garment bags cautiously before glancing at Jonny. "Well, at least us girls looks good." She winked, their hair and make-up firmly in place, almost like they hadn't gone on a year long break.

"Here." Matt passed them each one of the bags. "Make it quick."

Shaking their heads, Chris and Karma disappeared into different rooms to change.

"You know…" Phil said slowly, leaning back comfortably into the couch. "I think pregnancy was the best thing to happen to her."

Jacob arched an eyebrow but didn't say anything, knowing Phil's next words would probably get him into trouble.

"Her ass really rounded out."

"Watch it, Punk." Dave growled, eyes snapping from the door Karma had disappeared behind to the freshly shaven idiot on the couch.

Phil completely ignored him. "Her boobs grew too."

Jacob did the honors and reached over to pop Phil upside the head.

* * *

><p>"Mattie, I love you." Karma said when she walked out of the bathroom, twirling when Mattie and Maggie began applauding. When they had said leather, she had assumed they meant something like what Chris usually wore. What she got was a short, pleated black leather skirt with a looped silver chain dangling from the left side. Black lace-up arm warmers, matching corset boots, and a baby tee that was made out of a sheer, shimmery fabric. Leather, sheer, and sexy had been right.<p>

Mattie was studying her critically. "You forgot the hat." He said after a moment, scowling. When she huffed, retrieved it, and then came back out wearing it, he was all smiles. "Much better." All the black was broken up by her long white hair, to him, she was a dream.

"Looking HOT, Karmie!" Chris said as he next emerged, in an outfit similar to hers, though he was wearing pants. If Matthew ever tried putting him in a skirt, Chris would have to kill the stylist. Brutally.

"Okay people, places to be and songs to sing!" Shane announced, letting himself in the room with his own keycard, ignoring the 'what the fuck' looks he was getting from everyone, Bluetooth securely clipped to his ear. If they weren't used to him by now, he had no idea what to tell them. He ignored Dave's arched brow, busy listening to someone on the earpiece. "We will see…"

Why oh why, did that sound ominous?

* * *

><p>"Here." Karma said later when they had reached the club, waiting in the dressing room with the rest of the band, as well as Dave and Jareth. She handed her fiancée a set of earplugs. "For Jareth, cause it's going to be loud." She grinned excitedly, trying to pretend she couldn't hear Chris 'warming up' or Jonny and Jake bickering over… she almost blushed when she realized just what they WERE 'fighting' about. "Perverted fucks…"<p>

"Kinky," Jake shot back at her with a smirk. "we prefer to call it kinky."

"Five minutes until stage time!"

Shaking his head, Dave bent down to quickly kiss her, knowing that if Mattie seen it he would have a cow and go off about 'make-up being ruined'. "You think of everything."

"I have my moments." She agreed, planting a quick kiss on her sleeping son's forehead. "I love you. And you." She added, looking up at Dave with a grin.

"Yeah yeah, he loves you too, let's get going already!" Phil grunted, walking past them with drumsticks in hand. He was ready to rock 'n roll having honestly missed being on stage with the rest of the band. Though this time around, he knew it would be different, and for the better. Less drama, less drugs, probably more sex given Jonny and Jake's still going strong lust affair.

Rolling her eyes, Karma gave both Dave and Jareth one last peck before following the rest of the band out the door, letting Chris take her hand as they neared the stage. She took several deep breaths, listening as the emcee warmed up the audience, feeling Chris squeezing gently and returned it.

They exchanged smiles when they heard their cue, running out onstage and taking their places at the stage front, the rest of the band moving to their respective places.

Jake was the first to realize that everything was prepared and ready except for one minor thing, a set list. He seen Chris and Karma exchanging 'oh shit' looks, Karma's guitar strapped over her shoulder, headset on, while Chris' microphone dangled limply in his hand. "_What would they do without me_?" He thought as he began playing a song, his fingers moving over the keyboard smoothly as he played the somewhat modified song.

"_I wanted you to know, that I love the way you laugh, I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away. And I keep your photograph, I know it serves me well_." Chris sang, having been confused for a moment by the keyboards opening the Seether song, at least until Karma had started playing the chords, Phil quickly following suit on drums while Jonny's bass underlay it all.

From off to the sides, Mattie was ignoring Shane's curses. "They didn't make a set list."

"Well," Maggie offered, trying not to smile. "At least this is a good song for them to cover, and the crowd seems to like it."

Dave stood with them, Jareth now awake in his arms. He stared down at his son, not surprised Jareth's attention was on the people out on stage, his little eyes wide. Even though he wore earplugs, Dave was sure Jareth could still hear the music, that thought cemented when Jare began clapping his hands. Something told Dave his son would probably follow in Karma's musical footsteps opposed to his own.

"_The worst is over now and we can breathe again. I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away. There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight. I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_."

Jonatha found this amusing and irritating. Amusing because this was one of her favorite songs, hence the reason Jake had launched into it. Irritating because now she'd have it stuck in her head all goddamn night.

Karma accepted Chris' hand when he held it out to her, moving her guitar until it rested on her hip and let him pull her alongside him. She was glad they were still on the same wave-length on stage, feeling the 'magic' flowing around them. No drama, no upstaging, this was what it was all about.

* * *

><p><strong>Lyrics:<strong> Broken by Seether ft Amy Lee.


	3. I Got My Game On

**Three: I Got My Game On**

"Now THAT is the band I remember hiring!" Shane crowed when the members of Disenchanted stumbled off stage. He took in the five's varying states of weariness. "A little road rust?" He laughed. "Shake it off kiddies, we're heading for the big time… again."

"Happy happy, joy joy." Jonatha muttered sarcastically though she did look happy, tired but happy.

Dave wrapped an arm around Karma's waist when she drew close enough, letting her lean into him, and kissed the top of her head; ignoring the scent of sweat, hairspray, and dye.

"Where's Jare?" She murmured, her voice raspy.

"With the nanny, Mira. She got here about an hour ago, I sent them ahead of us."

Nodding, she just yawned.

"I'm taking you back to the hotel."

She nodded at that too, ignoring the 'come on's' she got from her friends. "Sorry guys, no bar tonight, I'm dead." She said when Jake called her a brat, sticking her tongue out at him. The way she figured it, if Shane had his way, they would be plunging straight back into the grind on top of whatever else Shane had planned; the awards show not even the tip of the iceberg. Her head began to spin just thinking about it.

Shane wholly approved of that, flashing a grin her way. "Just remember guys, we meet with Ruby tomorrow." Shane said, his voice taking a pleading tone. "So please, please, get some sleep." At this moment, he was regretting letting them actually redo their contracts, knowing damn well they could balk him and do something entirely different.

"Shane, chill, you book it, and we do it." Chris assured him.

Jonny popped Chris upside the head as they passed him. "Providing you don't book us in a place with roaches and head lice."

Chris let out a long suffering sigh.

* * *

><p>"You must be joking." Karma sighed into her cell phone. They had JUST walked into their hotel suite after the band's first return performance and already Shane was calling. She had almost forgotten… no rest for a rockstar. When Dave shot her a 'what's going on look', she just rolled her eyes. "Shane, we can discuss it tomorrow. Right now… I'm beat and I'm almost hoarse."<p>

"Drink some tea." Shane advised, blowing into the phone, knowing he had probably just pissed her off. But there was just so much to do and so little time to do it, this had completely slipped his mind until AFTER she had left for the night. "Just, think about it, alright? It'll give him something to do."

"Goodnight Shane." She hung up.

"What's going on?" Dave wondered if they were establishing a pattern of late night phone calls from Shane, sincerely hoping not. The man was brilliant at his job, but he could also be annoying. When Karma bit her bottom lip, he raised an eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest. "Out with it, Karma."

She actually wished their son wasn't sound asleep in the adjacent room with his new nanny –Mira-, just so she could occupy herself with him. Dave had been… edgy, since their meeting earlier in the day with Shane. By their meeting, she of course meant Disenchanted's, Dave was no longer allowed. For now at any rate. "Shane um, offered you a job?"

"Then why did he offer it to you instead of me directly?" Dave had a feeling he wasn't going to like this, he also felt the beginning of a migraine coming on.

Karma could hear him grinding his teeth, which he only did when he was annoyed. "He um, wants to put you in charge of overall security for the band. Earlier we decided that I don't need a bodyguard, not anymore. So, it'll just be the normal security crew but he needs a new chief of staff… which we're hoping will be you." This was an awkward situation for her. On one hand, she would no longer feel like a jackass for being the only one with a personal guard, on the other hand… Dave was being put in charge of a crew, something he had once informed her was a shit job.

Dave knew instantly what Shane was trying to do. Keep him involved with the band; and give him something to do. "He's right." He finally grunted, taking her by the hand and pulled her back towards the bed. "When we decided to get involved, things changed. I could put you and the entire band in danger because of emotion and that can't happen on the job."

She nodded, curling up against him after they had seated themselves back against the headboard.

"So I'll take the chief of staff job, stay in a control booth and try not to watch you be groped."

"Groped? Who's groping?" She asked, sounding surprised. "Chris doesn't count, that's just us on the stage." Karma frowned, trying to recall being groped, she could BEFORE Dave came along, but not afterwards. "Come on, let's not think about that tonight. We're together, with our son, and that's what matters, right?"

With a slight smile, he nodded.

* * *

><p>"Ruby, they're here."<p>

Yawning Ruby Reneire looked up from her vanity, busy arranging her honey blonde hair into her favorite style: hanging straight down her back with several braids at the temples and then pinned around her head. "Who?"

Her assistant, Marie, gave a long suffering sigh. "Shane McMahon, with his clients. That band you requested." Personally, Marie thought Ruby had been a bit out of it the day she had demanded to meet with Disenchanted, because when Ruby seen them, she was very likely to cringe. She had met the band, and found the abundance of leather, plaid, and holes…. Interesting.

"Oh… right… Well, show them in." Ruby smiled, getting to her feet and smoothed out the front of her silk lilac colored tank top, wearing a black pencil skirt with matching black pumps. After checking herself out one more time, she followed Marie out of the room.

Ruby had been among the year's top ten list of Most Beautiful People in the World, which she had loved as she enjoyed being in the spotlight. At first, she had hated it though, being famous, and an idol. It had all been an accident, or as her mother would have said: kismet.

But Ruby didn't believe in kismet, fate, whatever one wished to call it. That would have meant her life was planned for her, that she was nothing more than a puppet in some show. And she was nobody's puppet.

She had proven that when she had taking control of her acting career. She had established herself as an A-List actress, and then added directing to her list of accolades. She had done modeling, acting, directing; and she was a businesswoman and branching out from those things as well.

* * *

><p>"This is taking forever." Phil muttered, tapping out a beat on the wallpapered wall he stood in front of. "Who is this woman again?"<p>

Chris just gaped at him. "Ruby Reneire? Are you KIDDING me? She is the hottest thing next too…"

"Jonatha." Jacob supplied, smirking down at his wife who just smiled sweetly.

"Nice save."

Karma was leaning against the wall, shaking her head as she watched Chris trying to preen. "You're going to make an ass of yourself." She warned.

"I will not, I got my game on today."

They all snorted at that.

When they were finally escorted into a luxurious sweet, Karma immediately felt like a grimy little girl, the feeling not helped when she laid eyes on the woman who had to be Ruby. She hung back with Phil, who draped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed.

Shane promptly walked over to take Ruby in his arms, kissing her cheeks. "Ruby, as beautiful as ever."

"Flattery gets you everywhere." She teased, batting her insanely long eyelashes at him before surveying the group, her eyes lingering on Jonatha and Karma for a moment. "The singers?"

Chris stepped forward immediately, tripping over Jake's suddenly outstretched foot. He recovered quickly, but went red in the face, shooting Jacob a dirty look over his shoulder.

At this point, Karma had buried her face in the crook of her elbow, trying her hardest not to laugh as Chris next shot her a dirty look.

Ruby just watched all this with raised eyebrows. "So… you two are the singers?" She asked, glancing back and forth between Chris and Karma, hiding a smile when Chris went red again. She looked next at Jacob, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Now him… I can work with him."

Shane cleared his throat before Jonatha could lose her temper. "Jacob is Jonatha's husband."

"I meant for the music video, you idiot."

Karma was outright laughing now, the look on Jonny's face was priceless.

Jonatha was not amused in the least, though her husband looked fairly starstruck at the moment so she had to elbow him, hard. "Focus!" She hissed.

Jake just shook her head, rubbing his side. "Why me?"

"I could do it."

At this point, Karma grabbed the overeager Chris and pulled him down onto a loveseat with her, keeping a firm hold of his hand. "You need to calm down." She whispered in his ear, knowing he was going to blow this. Rehab had done wonders for him, but it had also left him… a little less smooth.

Shane was busy explaining to Jacob and everyone else Ruby's many titles, director included. "She's directing a music video as a favor to a friend, and out of the bands to choose from, you guys were in the list."

"Lucky us."

"And you all, quite frankly, are very pleasing on the eyes." Ruby added thoughtfully, looking at Jonatha and gave her a once over, then Phil and Chris, finally Karma. "She could go in a pool…" She commented, almost dreamily. "We could do an underwater scene, the band playing on one side of a thick pane of glass, Karma on the other… with that white hair, the lights would…" She shook her head, snapping out of it. "I don't know how well that would work though."

Karma didn't either. "I can't swim."

"You could make drowning an art form."

And right then and there, Karma decided she did not like Ruby.

"Jonatha plays bass?" Ruby was completely oblivious to the mounting dislike of the band, now studying Jonatha again. "She has a hard edge, I like that… you are all perfect for this video."

"Anything you want." Shane promised, ignoring the arched eyebrows all around he was receiving from the band.

Even Chris was losing interest in the beautiful woman.

"Excuse me for interrupting the groveling," Jonatha said with a slight smirk, more than amused when Shane's normally pale face flushed. "I thought we were going on tour?"

Ruby waved a hand airily. "This will take, maybe three days. We can start tomorrow. Today, we'll get you all fitted for outfits. Production has a set already and the tank is optional." She added, smiling at Karma.

Jake cleared his throat, physically feeling his wife bristling beside him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders to keep her from saying anything.

"Ruby, John Cena is here." Marie announced from the doors, looking down at her palm pilot. "Shall I…"

"Yes, show him in and see to it that the band is outfitted properly."

This was going to be a long three days.


	4. What She Doesn't Know

**Four: What She Doesn't Know**

"Chris, I swear to God, if you try to take ONE peek I will fine you half your take for the entire YEAR." Karma threatened from behind her screen, glancing around to make sure he was on his side of the room. He was, but he was also staring back at her, obviously considering it.

Between them were make-up artists, Ruby's staff, who were just glancing back and forth between the rockers with confused expressions. They weren't used to the banter between the pair.

"Just one look?" Chris shot back, disappearing behind his own screen, snickering when she shrieked at him. "You're mean, Karm, what ever happened to sharing?"

"I'll share… all my violent tendencies."

"Sounds kinky."

"Um," One of the make-up artists interrupted the back and forth. "Miss Karma, are you allergic to body glue?"

She could not for the life of her ever remember being addressed as Miss Karma and poked her head around the screen. "Uh no, why?"

"Because we're going to glue body gems to your chest, under water, with the lights, it'll glitter very nicely."

When Chris began laughing his ass off, she hurled a boot for where she was guessing his head to be.

Chris stopped laughing really quickly when he was informed hair extensions were going to be added to his short blonde locks, getting a visual of himself with a mullet.

* * *

><p>When Shane seen his band, he knew he was going to have to do some serious damage control with them before he either wound up fired or they wound up going on a killing spree. Jonatha had been put in white leather pants and a white halter top, her 'Joan Jett' hairstyle having been tamed a bit along with the colored tips, Jonny was making her displeasure known, her arms folded over her chest as she kept popping her bubble gum, loudly, annoyingly. He made a mental note to buy her a new guitar.<p>

Jacob was looking rather… naked. Shane winced. That was more flesh then he ever wanted to see on another man. Phil's shoulder length black hair had been pulled back into a low hanging tail and his piercing had been removed, to make the image worse, he had also been a suit that Shane knew was going to wind up destroyed.

Chris looked ready to go back on drugs. His hair had been lengthened down to his shoulders and they had stuck him in black vinyl pants that hugged his legs along with a silver shirt that was unbuttoned. Karma… oh if Dave ever saw her, Shane was a dead man… Body gems covered her breasts and the barely there multi-colored skirt wasn't very… covering… "Well looks like you're…"

"Going to fucking kill you." Jonatha finished dryly, sapphire blue eyes flashing angrily.

"We look like gay rockstars on crack!" Chris protested, more than tempted to reach down and adjust his crotch. "I swear… it feels like my balls are melting to the material…"

Karma sniggered.

"Shut it." He growled, surveying her skirt before smirking, walking over to grab her hand. Twirling her around, he began laughing when the skirt flew up, revealing her panties. "Are those… thongs?"

"I will kill you, Chris." She threatened, pulling away with a blush.

"Look," Shane pinched his nose before taking a deep breath, flashing them all an appeasing smile. "You don't HAVE to do this."

They all perked.

"We'll just go back on the contract and you'll get a reputation for being hard to work with."

They all deflated.

"We'll do it." Karma sighed, desperately trying not to itch her skin, the glue was driving her crazy. "If I drown though, everyone has my permission to kill you."

Phil grinned brightly. "Karm, I love you, you know that, but I kinda hope you drown now."

"I second that." Jake echoed, wanting to just go hide and pretend he didn't look like an eighties porn star. He wasn't shy, he didn't mind showing off his chest, but did he have to wear white leather pants that made him look…. Like a member of the Village People?

"Karma, we need you in the tank!" shouted a stage-hand.

Karma –who was pale enough- paled even more. She had lied when she said she couldn't swim. She could. The last time she had gone swimming had been… when she had gone shopping and Dave had been just her bodyguard, she had gone for a dip at the nearby beach.

For some reason though, the idea of being in a goddamn tank, under the water… was just terrifying.

Reaching for Chris' hand, she followed him out onto the set, eyeballing the huge tank of water set before a green screen. That automatically explained everyone else's clothing, CGI and computer inserts.

"Hey, you got this. You're a good swimmer." Chris murmured, staring down at her intently, blue eyes studying her face. "Karma, you got this."

"I don't want to go in there."

"Is it the water, sweetheart?" He asked softly, squeezing her hand gently.

"No…"

"The tank?"

She nodded.

"Baby, you're going to be fine. The top is open so all you have to do is go up if you panic, and you know I'll be right here to help if you need it." He assured her, pulling her into a hug. "If you really don't want to do this, you don't have too."

Ruby was leaning against the tank, watching them curiously, dressed down today in black jeans and a tee shirt, wondering just what the hold-up was. Pushing herself away from the tank, she approached the duo, eyes on Karma. "It's warm." She said slowly. "Can you keep your eyes open?"

Karma nodded, her face planted in Chris' chest.

"It's ten feet deep, but you're not going to drown-"

"She can swim." Chris interjected, trying to keep the coolness from his tone.

"Well… just in case, there will be people nearby to help. Just get in there and sing, well, lip sing, obviously we'll have to overlay the track but…" Shrugging, she began walking away, calling over her shoulder. "Make it… sexy, haunting… thrash about a bit if you like. Alright, as for the rest of you…"

Pulling away from Chris, Karma allowed the technicians to help her up onto the ledge of the tank, staring down inside. It was clear, but she could still see how thick the panes of Plexiglas were, swallowing hard. Being emerged in water, in a deep, narrow container was not her idea of a good time.

Chris flashed her a reassuring smile before heading to where he was being called.

* * *

><p>Shane watched as David paced a hole in his hotel room carpet, really regretting calling the man. He hadn't had much other choice though, Dave was the best in the bodyguard business. Providing the man wasn't covering his fiancée, then he tended to get… off-track. He turned his attention back to the bed, where various clippings and letters lay sprawled on the comforter. "Look, I don't want her to know."<p>

Dave stopped his pacing in order to turn and stare holes through Shane. "She has a right to know." He said flatly, sounding much calmer than he really was. He had been expecting Shane to send him home, not… this.

This being a sack of gifts, magazine clippings, and letters… all for, about, or penned to Karma; and assumedly from the same person. Sick love letters, threats of violence… Dave was seriously pissed off.

"She does, but what'll it do to her?" Shane demanded, not liking this either. Not only was Karma his superstar, but he actually liked her. "I don't want her to feel like she's in danger."

"But she IS in danger!"

"David, if I put you back in charge of her, what will you do?"

"Take her away and lock her ass up until this pervert is caught!"

"And what will her reaction to that be?"

"I don't give a good goddamn what-" Dave stopped when Shane's eyebrow arched. "She is my fiancée, the mother of my son, and you don't want her knowing she's in fucking danger?"

"I want you to find whoever is doing it is what I want. And you can't do that if you're up her ass."

"So what are you suggesting?" Dave growled, balling his hands into fists.

"I'm going to hire her a new bodyguard-"

"Anyone but Steve."

"and inform her of the situation, but NOT in a way that's going to incite a panic. YOU are going to work with detectives to find this creep and lock his ass up."

"Or kill him."


	5. Changes

**Five: Changes**

* * *

><p>Dave had never felt more useless in his life. He had accepted a position as a member of the security team to oversee that the band made it safely from one place to the other, but during the group's 'off' hours, he wasn't supposed to tail any of them, not even his fiancée.<p>

Which was fine as he usually went with her wherever she went since they were a couple and they tried to squeeze in as much together time as possible, them and their son.

But given his former caliber as the most widely recognized bodyguard in the entertainment business, this was a slap in the face and a step down. Shane knew this too. Karma didn't because she really had no idea how those things worked, but Shane knew.

Dave was doing this to hold his family together. This was becoming increasingly difficult as they embarked on a short U.S. media tour, hitting the circuit for talk shows, midnight performances and special; sold out mini-concerts.

He was discovering that all the reasons he had fallen in love with Karma were gone. He had started to love her when she had been in a bad situation, she had needed him then. She had needed him not only to physically protect her but also emotionally, she had come to rely on him in an odd sort of way to be her emotional guardian, her support.

Then during the time off, they had learned together how to be a family and leaned on each other, they supported each other. Things were on equal footing, a first for them both.

Things were changing.

Emotionally, Karma was stronger than he had ever seen her; she was in a good place. She had her priorities, her son first, music second. Dave knew he came in third place though she always told him he was her number two, after Jareth. Naturally, now that she and Chris were back to being best friends –something Phil had told him they had been before they'd been lovers- she spent a lot of her time with Chris, writing songs and coming up with ideas for the band.

Sometimes the rest of the band would join the pair, sometimes they wouldn't. He had noticed that Phil seemed content to be allowed to drift, to do his own thing and then come back down to earth when he was needed. Which was when it was show time or whenever Karma needed him.

Karma and Phil was a relationship he wasn't about to speculate on. According to Jacob, Phil was her 'supplier' and 'accomplice', he hadn't wanted to know anymore. Her choice in drugs were coffee and occasionally a cigarette.

Jacob and Jonatha had yet to get over their honeymoon bliss and nobody ever inquired what they were up too. Nobody had too. The pair were quite good at making it known, whether others wanted to hear it or not.

Everyone had a place in their little 'family' as Shane liked to call them. He was the one who held everything together, making sure they had dates and were paid; made sure their faces graced magazines and were in constant spotlights. Maggie and Mattie were in charge over two other stylists, managing wardrobe and make-up/hair for their little moneymakers. The band delivered the product, which was themselves and security made sure nothing happened to the product.

He hated this.

* * *

><p>"He has the sniffles so you might want to watch him," Karma said into her cell phone, knowing she was probably driving the nanny –who came highly recommended and was from a respectable, well known service- insane but she couldn't help herself. "Alright, we'll be back in a few hours."<p>

"Karm, the woman knows what she's doing." Chris chided gently, watching as she tucked her phone in her duffel bag. When she just shrugged, he hugged her. "I know, it's your son, you worry."

"Something like that, yeah. I'm just not used to being away from him like this." Karma admitted, returning the hug before stepping away; turning to survey herself in the full length mirror that adorned the door of their dressing room. "Too bad David's not here, he'd love this." She murmured, turning sharply just to watch her skirt swish with the movement.

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I'm loving it." Her best friend teased with a flirtatious wink.

"You're so being fined."

"Bring it on."

* * *

><p><em>Sing me your song<em>

_Make me your own_

_Save me from darkness_

_From dying alone_

Dave listened as Chris and Karma sang the bands last single before their somewhat forced vacation, watching from a booth. He had access to all the cameras in the building and was able to give orders and hear on the walkies, but his job as chief of security seemed in the main to sit on his ass.

The music awards seemed to be looming in the distance and he knew he wasn't going to make it until then on this job. He was going insane from boredom. He had tried to explain to Karma but had then stopped himself, knowing she wouldn't understand. He didn't expect her to understand.

How did someone understand being told 'you're not exciting enough in a danger magnet sense'?

As if she knew he was watching, Karma smiled brightly up in his general direction.

Dave just groaned, burying his face in his hands.

* * *

><p>Jonatha Black had a horrible, violent temper. Everyone knew that, which is why they all did their best to not incite her temper, at least not so it would be aimed at them.<p>

On the other hand, they also found it funny to get her riled up, at a particular person, just to watch her fly off the handle. Very rarely did she actually injure someone, physically at any rate. She was pretty good at crippling someone using words alone.

She was also a very loyal friend to have, she looked out for her own. As she and Karma were best friends –or as close as females could be- she considered Karma's business her business.

So when Karma appeared at a rehearsal looking like hell warmed over, twice, she was understandably concerned and prepared to go to prison over murdering someone.

"What happened?" She demanded, matching Chris' quick walk over to their friend, both of them wrapping their arms around her.

"Dave is leaving me." Karma hiccupped, tears streaking her face. "He's leaving me!"

* * *

><p>"We don't have to do this, Karma."<p>

Karma didn't look up from her vanity table, busy studying three shades of lipstick, the same three shades of lipstick she had been staring at for the past ten minutes. "Which color?" She asked, fingering the tubes gently.

Frowning, Chris walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. The frown deepened when it struck him for the first time that her shoulders were bare, his gaze automatically flying to the mirror and staring at her through it.

Karma managed a one sided smile, meeting his startled blue eyes. "I'm decent."

"I see that."

She was wearing a cream colored, strapless gown that would brush the floor when she stood, he had a feeling she was wearing high top sneakers beneath it. Her bleached white hair had been infused with soft gold streaks to match her shimmery gold make-up. Factor in her pale skin tone and the delicate pieces of gold jewelry she wore, she looked like an angel.

_A sad angel_, Chris mentally observed, bending down to gently kiss the top of her head. She hadn't been exaggerating when she said David was leaving her. The man had packed his shit and taken off before any of them could get to him. Which was probably a good thing as Jonatha had gone with a baseball bat and the intention of beating his head in.

That had been almost two months ago and while she no longer cried for hours at a time, he had yet to see the sadness leave her eyes.

They both started when a sharp knock came at the door to their dressing room, followed by Shane calling out that it was time to go on. How he managed to make himself heard over the end of 'Islands In The Stream' and the extremely loud audience was anybody's guess.

Pushing away from the vanity, Karma stood up, pulling her gown up high enough to reveal that she wasn't wearing sneakers.

"Thought so." He chuckled, holding out his arm for her.

She was looking him over, ignoring his arm. Black slacks, white shirt that wasn't tucked in and a black vest over it. "You look... good..."

"You don't have to sound so surprised." Chris said, adjusting his sleeve collars with a smirk. "It's not leather but I still look damn fine."

"Behave."

He mock saluted her.

* * *

><p>Ruby Reniere felt completely at home in front of the live audience as well as the cameras that were filming her. She was emcee of tonight's show, a music for charity type event, with a theme. Duets and the peopleband singing them would be performing songs outside their usual genre.

That was going to make this next act rather entertaining for her.

"Please welcome to the stage..." She paused, letting the suspense build before flashing her trademark dazzling smile and waving her hand towards the stage. "Disenchanted!"

The curtain parted, revealing Jacob sitting at a piano and managing to not look awkward doing it. Jonatha was standing in a knee length black slip dress with black roses entwined in her 'Joan Jett' hair before a microphone. Instead of her bass, she was cradling one of Karma's guitars. Phil was behind his drum set, looking just as polished as the rest of them.

* * *

><p>Karma waited in the wings as Chris went out, her eyes fastened on Jonatha, watching as her friend fingered the strings without actually strumming them. She knew what Jonny was doing; she was mentally reviewing the chords to the song and smiled slightly. Jonatha was probably wishing she had never agreed to take over guitar for the night.<p>

Of course, the audience recognized the song before Chris even opened his mouth, the wordless introduction saw to that, and they went insane.

"_And I would do anything for love, I'd run right into hell and back."_

Part of the 'special factor' of this charity concert, was the fact that the songs were supposed to be different from the performer's 'usual' genre. The duet part, not so special, at least not for Disenchanted, Karma and Chris were a duet act.

"_I would do anything for love, I'd never lie to you and that's a fact."_

She personally liked Meat Loaf, though she would be the first to admit that this wasn't their type of music. Or at least the song wasn't, it was a ballad, though she did love the guitar.

"_But I'll never forget the way you feel right now, oh no, no way. And I would do anything for love, but I won't do that. No, I won't do that."_

Since they weren't doing the entire song but a medley, she wasn't surprised at the jump in verses and tempo. Once the shortened instrumental was finished, she began preparing herself. She listened as Chris sang the verse that cued her, not surprised to find he was now staring at her. Plastering a sultry smile on her face, she stepped out onto the stage, eyes fastened on him.

"_Will you raise me up? Will you help me down? Will you get me right out of this godforsaken town? Will you make it all a little less cold?"_

Chris nodded his head as he sang. _"I can do that. I can do that."_

"_Will you hold me sacred? Will you hold me tight? Can you colorize my life, I'm so sick of black and white? Can you make it all a little less old?" _

* * *

><p>"That's Karma."<p>

"I figured."

Shane rolled his eyes, watching his band from the producer's booth.

"What happened to Bautista?"

Shane turned to stare at the bodyguard, knowing second to Dave, he was probably the best in the business. Unlike Dave however, this man asked a lot of damn questions. "Look, I'm paying you to protect her, can you do that?"

Shawn Michaels reached up to scratch the scruff on his chin, his gaze locked on the woman onstage. He arched an eyebrow when the song changed to 'Dead Ringer For Love' and she literally tore the gown away, revealing a strapless black corset and black leather mini skirt with thigh high heeled boots. "Wow."

"Yeah, wow, she's gorgeous, we know. Pay attention."

"I am." Shawn's eyes were still on her. "She know about the situation?"

"No, and it's going to stay that way, got me?"

Shawn rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.

Shane took that as a positive thing and simply nodded. "Good. You start now."

* * *

><p>Song is "I Would Do Anything For Love" by Meat Loaf.<p> 


End file.
